Poppy seed muffins are unarguably one of America’s favorite baked goods. They’re simple, tasty, and always a safe choice at the continental breakfast buffet. But now, you might not want to go near another poppy seed muffin for as long as you live, thanks to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On May 4, the CDC tweeted a photo of a poppy seed muffin with the following message: “Ticks can be the size of a poppy seed. Can you spot all 5 ticks in this photo?” and a link to a tick bite prevention fact sheet. It has now been shared over 1,500 times and caused quite the controversy on the internet, for obvious reasons.The tweet was posted shortly after the CDC published a report on the increase of tick-, flea-, and mosquito-borne illnesses in the US. The tiny arachnids can spread a number of serious and life-threatening diseases to humans, including Lyme disease and the Powassan virus, especially during the warmer months in the Northeast and Midwest regions.
Original source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/carolinekee/poppy-seed-muffin-tick-photo.
